Tobacco-pliers



(No Model.)

M. B. HATCHER.

TOBACCO PLIERS.

Patented June 13, 1893.

W/ TNE SSE S:

WQ v A TTOHNEYS.

UNITE STATES lATENT OFFICE.

MILTON B. HATOHER, OF AUGUSTA, GEORGIA.

TOBACCO-PLIERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 499,539, dated June 13, 1893. Application filed October 19, 1892. Serial No. 449,349. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MILTON B. HATOHER, of Augusta, in the county of Richmond and State of Georgia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Tobacco-Pliers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and convenient implement for the removal of plug or slab tobacco from the box, and consists in the construction and combination of parts, as is hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure lis aperspective view of the implement. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal, broken and partly sectional view of the front portion of the device, showing the parts in open adjustment; and Fig. 3 is a side view of the forward part of the tool, partly in section andin closed adjustment.

There are two limbs A, B, provided that form main portions of the implement. The limb A is widened forwardly and this portion is longitudinally and vertically slotted at the transverse center from the front enda proper distance, thereby producing two parallel jaws to of equal length. From the point b Where the jaws a join the other portion of the limb A, this latter part is prolonged and bent as shown, to provide a bow handle piece. The other limb B is made of such a relative thickness forwardl gas will permit its introduction between the jaws a and subsequent pivoting thereto at 0, thereby connecting the members A, B, loosely. The limb B is bent at e and also at g above and below the jaws a, so as to project a portion B forwardly above the jaws, the remainder, or part that extends rearwardly from g, forming a handle barthat is mainly straight, but slightly curved at the free end h away from the handle piece of the limb A, thereby avoiding contact with the latter. There is a curved rack 2' formed on or secured to the portion B of the limb B, a short distance from the forward end of said part and which projects downwardly between the jaws a. Port-ions of the jaws a project in advance of the rack i and afford support for a rocking toe which consists of a circular hub m that is centrally pivoted between the jaws on a transverse pin n, and has a series of teeth m formed on it that are in meshed engagement with the rack teeth, and is further provided with a curved sharpened toe n which is joined to the hub by an arm n at its rear end. The toe n curves forwardly and upwardly, having its free end portion rendered wedge-shaped by converging its top and bottom sides.

There is a tooth like projection 0 formed on the front end of the jaw portion B, toward which the toe n will be moved so as to nearly impinge on it when the handle pieces of the limbs A, B, are vibrated toward each other, these parts being held normally separated by the spring 19 that is fastened by one end to the handle piece of the limb A and presses its free end on the handle piece of limb B, as shown in Fig. 1.

"When the implement is to be used to remove plugs or slabs of chewing tobacco from the packing box wherein the tobacco is tightly embedded, the operatorgrasps'theinstrument, and by an insertion of the free sharp end of the toe n between an end of a plug or slab and the inner side of the box, gets a purchase on the tobacco slab. The handles of the implement are now tightly gripped so as to rock the toe n toward the tooth 0, which will cause the plug or slab of tobacco to be firmly interlocked between the rocking toe and forward terminal of the limb B and toe 0, and will permit the tobacco to be quickly removed from the box by manipulating the implement. When the pliers are not in use the pressure of the spring 13 will spread the limbs A, B, sufficiently to throw the toe 01 below the jaws a, with its free sharp end extended in front of the latter; a contact of the rear end of the toe upon the lower end of the rack 2', as at 71 in Fig. 2, serving to limit the divergence of the handle piece of the limbs, and of their forward portions also, the parts assuming the relative positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Having thus fully described my invention,

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentfront end face of the other member and geared to the latter member in front of said pivot c, substantially as set forth.

2. The herein described tobacco pliers, com prising the two handle members AB, pivoted and crossed near their outer ends and of approximately the same length in front of their pivot c, the extension B having a depending rack 2' between its pivot and front extremity, and the curved tooth pivoted to the outer end of the extension at of the member A to swing outwardly and inwardly at its point toward and against the front end face 'of the extension B and provided at its pivoted end with a toothed segment m meshing withsaid rack,

substantially as set forth.

3. The herein described pliers, comprising the pivoted cross members A B, a tooth or lug 0, on the forward extremity of the outer end B of the member B, a rack 'i on the under side of the end B, and the curved tooth pivoted to the outer end of the member A to swing toward and contact with the forward extremity of the end B under its tooth or lug 0 and having a toothed segment meshing with said rack, substantially as set forth.

4. In tobacco pliers, the combination with a limb slotted centrally at its forward end, and a second limb pivoted between the jaws produced by said slot, and a spring between the limbs normally holding them apart, of a depending curved rack formed on one of said limbs, and a curved toe pivoted between the jaws of the other limb and having teeth adapted to engage with and be rocked by the rack, substantially as described.

5. In tobacco pliers, the combination with a limb having a curved handle piece at one end, and centrally and longitudinally slotted at its other end, thereby forming parallel jaws, and a second limb pivoted between said jaws and bent to dispose its forward part above the jaws and produce a handle piece below said jaws, of a curved rack formed on the bent limb, and depending from its forward end, a rocking toe having ahub pivoted between the jaws in advance of said rack, a series of teeth on said hub meshing with the rack teeth, and a spring between the handle pieces of the limbs, normally holding said limbs apart, substantially as described.

MILTON B. I-IATCHER. \Vitnesses:

O. B. FULLER, F. L. FULLER. 

